Knockdown sectional display shelves



Se t. 22, 1931. E. L. ONEIL 1,324,582

KNOCKDOWN SECTIONAL DISPLAY SHELVES Filed Sept. 8. 1930 specification.

Patented Sept. 22, 1931 UNITED STATES EDWARD LLEWELLYN ONEIL, OF LONDON, ONTARIO, CANADA KNOCKDOWN SECTIONALDISPLAY sHELvEsQ Application filed September s,"19a0.f sfia1 No. 480,541.

My invention relates to improvements in knock-clown sectional display shelves, and the object of the invention is to devise metallic shelves which may be built up ver- 5 tically in any number of sections, to any desired height and which, when knocked-down, will occupy a minimum amount of space for shipment and in which the connections are so formed between the shelves as to leave a free 1Q uninterrupted surface for the occupation of the goods upon the uppermost shelf, and it consists essentially of the arrangement and construction of parts as hereinafter more particularly explained by the following Fig. '1 is a perspective View of my shelves formed in two sections. f

Fig. 2 is'an enlarged transverse sectional view through my display shelves.

Fig. 3 1s a plan view of a fragmentary portion of the uppermost display shelfshowing the interlocking connectionbetween the shelf body and the supporting standard.

Fig. 4 is a sectional view on line 4-4 Fig.

Figs. 5 and 6 are perspective details of the interlocking connection between one of the shelves and its supporting standard.

In the drawings like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in each figure.

1 is a base member provided with a hollow boss 1 into which fits and is secured a tubular standard 2, such securing connection being preferably formed by a bolt 3 eXtend-' ing through the wall of the boss ,1" and through an open ended slot 3? formed in the lower end of the standard 2.

4 and 5 are shelf members preferably formed of sheet metal and forming the main 4.0 member of each shelf section. The members 4 and 5 are provided with orifices 4* and 5 corresponding in diameter to the external diameter of the tubular standard 2. The

. orifices 4 and 5* are each provided with ra-' dial slots 4 of any desired number and spaced equal distances apart. The metal out of which the slots 4 are formedis stamped down as indicated at 5 to form the engaging member as will hereinafter appear.

6 and 7 are sleeve members having an in- 5 and the portion 10*, into engagement with" terior diameter corresponding to the external diameter of-the standard 2. 8 is a split I ring extending around the upper end of each of the sleeve members 6 and 7 and connected thereto by means of projections or pins 8 fitting into recesses 89. The rings 8 are provided at their upper f ends with annular flanges 9 from which extendcam projec tions 10; each of such cam projections are inclined and formed a horizontal lower portion lO 'and a horizontal; upper portion 1 0} at each end of the'inclined portion.

It will be noted that the space between thestampeddownportions 5 and the slots 4 is slightly greater'than the width of the cam portions 10. When the parts are sembled the ring members 8 are sprung into engagement with the upper ends of the sleeves 6 and 7. The cam portions 10 are then passed upwardly through the wspaces 7" between the portions 5 so that'the portions 10 of the cam engages the lower face of the corresponding shelf member. The 7' sleeve member is then given a 'rotarymovement so as to carry the portion 10 ov'er the portion;

theupper faceof the portion 5.

' "The vertical distance between the upper face ofthe portion 10 andthe lower "face of the portionfl0" isslightly greater than the distance between the lower face of the cor-- responding shelf and the upper-face of the portion 5 so that when the c'am'members 1O are carried into engagement by the rotary movement of the sleeve 6 ,or" 7the inclined 5? portion of the cam 10 is'slightly sprung so I as to exert agripping engagement between; such cam membersa'nd the shelf; 11 'is a pin or projection dependingfrom the shelf so as to limit the turning movement of the sleevefi or '7 and the cams carried thereby.

When thesleeves' 6 and 7 and shelf membersfl and 5have beenthus connected a i tubular standard member 12 is inserted at its upper end'in the sleeve 6 and passed, at 5 its lower'end, through the orifice 43 of the shelf 4 into the lower sleeve portion 7, preferably-bearing at its lower end upon the upperend of the tubular standard 2. The upper end of the tubular standard 2 and damage, which maybe easily manufactured both ends of the member 12 are provided with open ended slots 12, securing bolts 13 being provided which pass through the sleeves 6 and 7 so as to engage the slots 12 as clearly indicated in Fig. 2, thereby positively clamping the parts together.

From this description it will be seen that I have devised a very simple device whereby display shelves may be built up to any height desired by employing any number of shelf sections; Hitherto,displaynshelvese of this character have been formed by strips of plate glass betweenwhich-are inserted glass vases which are fragile and do not hold the shelves firmly in position and,

therefore, a set of shelves so built might be easily and inadvertently upset and a greatdeal of damage done. By my construction I have provided a device which is strong and durable, stable and not liable to and which, when desired, may be knockeddown and compactly packed for shipment.

VVhatI claim as my invention is:

1 Knock-down sheet metal d i s pl a y shelves, comprising a base, a plurality of shelf members having vertically aligned orifices therein, a tubular standard member connected to the base, a sleeve member forming :a tubular stein depending from each shelf. vsection concentric with its orifice, a

detachable connection between the sleeves and the shelf members, a connecting sleeve inserted at one end in the stem of one shelf member andextending at its opposite end through the orifice of the other shelf mem- 7 her into the stem thereof, and means for by each shelf member arranged concentri locking the sleeves and stems together.

2. Knock-down sheet metal. d i s p la y she lves, comprising a base, a stem extending upwardly from the base, a plurality of shelf members, a tubular stem secured infadepending position to each shelf member, radialcams arranged around the upper end of'each stem, and; tongue portions carried cally around theistem and with which the cams engage when the stem isturned circumferentially.

I 13. Knock-down sheet metal display shelving, comprising a base, a plurality of shelf members. having vertically aligned orifices therein, a tubular standard member connected to the base, a sleeve member forming "a tubular stem depending from each shelf section concentric with its orifice, a connecting sleeve'inserted at ,oneend inxthe stem of one shelf member and extending at its opposite end through the orifice of the other shelf member into the stem thereof,

and means forlocking the sleeves andstems together. i p v EDWARD LLEWELLYN ONEIL. 

